Direction indicator



c. B. PUTTASWAMY :2,051,892

DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed Deo. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIIIIIIIVWJM.

Aug. '25, 1936.

Aug. 25, 1936.

C. B, PUTTASWAMY DIRECTION INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1931 Mofa 5. /zzffaszfamg lNVENTOR ma ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1936 i'b'le. direction Yindio The-primary. object 'of Ltheinventio'n i vision oa device. operator of an auto 92s to indicate the Y the proof. this characterwhereinthe mobile can operate .the same so direction of.v movement of.l .the

ator or; signal. ,i

motor driven vehicle at the time of the starting thereof or while the same is inmotion, particularly' with regard I to right and' left handA turns,

the device being novel 'in form and is susceptible dfadjustment with dispatch l' Another object vision of `a device indicator proper' simulates thereof being` cap the use (of. electric of:-l the invention, is, .the v.proof this charactermwhereinzthe an' ,arrow,..the ,ends able. of illumination through bulbs` orleads and. whenoperated will indicate th'ef direction of turns ofthe vehcle either right for left Yat thetime ofstartinglor o during moticn thereof so that oncoming. traffic either `from th rear or atthe rontthereof will have' knowledge of the Yunirse of thevehicle; Y, Aur'thr object of the inventionisttheepro- Vision of a device of this characterfwhich,issimpl in' construction same is neat ,i artis'tii'n appearance, as the and attractive, thoroughly reliable and e'cacious in its purpose, operable with dispatch, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction,

combination and a rrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more ully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention,

and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawingsz-- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the motor driven vehicle showing the indicator or device constructed in ,accordance with the invention applied theret oand in normal position.

Vertical sectional View of the indicator or device with adjunct parts in association therewith.

Figure 3 is a top plan View.

Figure 4 is an end elevation. Figure 5 is a detail elevation showing the operative connections.

Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an edge elevation of the keeper.

Figure 9 is a mo died form of offset operating connections Ii?.,onthe..indi,Cat,.011 @deities .the Snfto .variable m keert cars er a QmQhi, l

in su.; ..;:.-i r zy., 5.1, 3 .3.;v. Bereifung-.tm he.. ra .rigs i,n.de tai1fie.5ie nates generally the fore part of an automobile' onwhich the indicator or device is carried preferablyat the high point of the hood B thereo-f,v the indicator or device being hereinafter fully de? l0 scribed. l t

The indicator or device comprises a truncated substantially conical-shaped base I0 having a lower, attaching flangevII the latterl being shaped to theexternal shape of the hood B and is made fast l5 thereto nexttov the radiator of theautomobile in any suitablexnanner. Upon the truncated end of thebase I is arranged anA insulatinglblock I2, to the outer ends of which is bolteda pair of opposed',resilientcontacting arms I3, While passed,20 centrally upwardly through the base l I i) is a turn# ing `staff or rod Ill, the latter being loosely passed through the truncated end of said base and projectsV upwardly the required distance. Uponthe uppervend portion of the stall or stem ig is atubular crosshead I5 on the opposite ends of whichI are telescopically tted an arrow head I6 of hollow formation and a tail part I'I of hollow formation, these being longitudinally slotted at I8 through each of which passes the set screw I9 adapted to 30 be threaded into the crosshead so that in this manner the head I6 and the tail part I'I can be extended or contracted with relation to each other according to the fancy of the user of the indicator or device. The upper end of the start or stem i4 carries an ornament or cap 2@ of fanciful design.

Formed on the head and tail part I1 are electric light sockets 2l carrying electric light bulbs 22.

Suitably fastened to and insulated at 23 from the crosshead I5 are opposed outwardly curved brace arms 24, these joined with a disk 25 mounted upon the staff or stem I4 and with which latter engage the contacting arms I3 irrespective 45 of the adjustment ofthe crosshead. The fasteners 23 for the braces 24 have electric current feed Wires 26 connected therewith which lead to the sockets 2l and these with the braces 24, arms` I3 and the wire 2l connected with the terminal 28 50 engaged with the cross connecting piece 29 of the arms I3 completes the circuit of the electric system in the car to the bulbs 22 for illumination thereof, it being understood of course, that the current return is grounded through the cross- 55 head I5, stair or stem I4 and the frame of the car, the arms I3 being constantly engaged with the disk 25 when the indicator or device is operated.

Beneath the hood B is a hanger including a socket member 3%] in which is adjustably engaged by a binding screw 3I the stem 32 of a sleeve bearing 33 in which is mounted an operating shaft 34, the same being extended through the dash or front board of the automobile in convenient reach of an operator thereof, the shaft being also journaled centrally in a keeper 35 having a notched rim 36 with opposite oneslofY which are adapted to engage a latching pin 31 mounted transversely of the shaft 34 and slidably in a suitable slot therein to'permit the latchi ing and releasing of said pin.A This pin also engages the inner end or" the socketed stem 38 of a pull knob 39, the shaft 34 being slidably tted in said stem 33 and has the enlarged end 40 against which plays a coiled tensioning spring 4I the latter being also engaged with the cross pin 31, thus the knob 39 when pulled upon against the resistance of the spring 4I will permit the release of the pin 31 from the selected notches 36 in the keeper 35 and the turning shaft 34 for operating the indicator or device.

The shaft 34 at its forward end carries a beveled gear 42 meshing with a pinion 43 iixed to the stair or stem I4 so that on the rotation of the shaft 34 similar movement will be imparted to a stai or stem for the turning of the indicator or device to indicate the direction of turn of the automobile either at the time of starting thereof or while in motion. When the knob 39 is released the spring 4l becomes active to seat the pin 3l in registering notches 35 in the keeper 35 and thus latching the indicator or device in its adjusted position.

In Figure 9 there is shown a slight modification wherein the shaft 44 which corresponds with the shaft 34 carries a sprocket 45 having trained thereover an endless sprocket chain 46, the same being also trained over a sprocket 41 having gear connection with the stallc or stem 48 corresponding to the stai or stem I4 and in this manner the operating medium for the indicator at the front board of the automobile body can be oiset to suit the fancy of the user of the indicator or device so that the knob 39 will be out or" alignment with the staff or stem 48 of said indicator or device.

It is to be understood of course that the sprockets 45 and 4'! with the chain 4S trained thereover are located rearwardly of the front board of an automobile with the shaft 44 corresponding to the shaft 34 passing through this board and to which is tted the knob 39 so that it is readily accessible and can be conveniently operated by the user of the automobile.

The electric bulb mounted at the head is preferably of red hue While the electric bulb at the tail part I'I is green.

It is understood of course that the indicator is specially adaptable for automobiles but at the same time is useable on other vehicles including boats, ships, and aeroplanes, etc.

It is believed that an understanding of the operation of the device or indicator will be had from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

. What is claimed is:-

A signal device of the character described, comprising a substantially conical-shaped base for mounting on an engine hood of an automobile, outwardly and inwardly curved spring arms rising from the base and fixed to and insulated therefrom, a rotary shaft journaled centrally of said base, an electric conductor disk xedto the shaft and insulated therefrom for the contact of the spring arms peripherally therewith, braces on the disk at opposite sides of the shaft, a signal arm carried by the braces and shaft and insulated therefrom, a signal lamp on the arm, and an electric circuit for the lamp and including the spring arms, the disk and the braces and grounded through the shaft.

CHOLA B. PUTTASWAMY. 

